Golf club



July 26, 1938. G. E. BARNHART GOLF CLUB Filed July 16, 1954.

INVENTOR.

ATTO EY.

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vl'fatented July 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in golf clubs. l

The general object of the invention is to provide a golf club having anovelshaft and head. Another lobject of the invention is to provide anovelshaft for a golf club.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel golf club shaftand gripping portion or handle wherein the whip of the shaft iscontrolled within the gripping portion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel head forgolf clubs.

A, still further object of the invention is to provide a shaft for agolf club which progressively decreases in weight and then increases inweight between theclub and the head.

Other objects and the advantages of the inven' tion will be apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingi0 drawing wherein: l

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a golf club embodying the features of myinvention looking at the face of the club head;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig. 1 looking toward theend of the club head;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the grippingportion or handle of the golf club;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of my improved golf clubshaft with portions broken away;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sideelevation of a washer used in the handle assembly; Fig. 7 is a sectiontaken on line 'I-I of Fig; l;

and, v

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. lReferring to the drawing by reference characters I have indicated a'golfclub embodying my features of `my invention generally at III. As

shown the golf club III includes a shaft I2 having thereon at one end agripping portion or handle I3 and at the opposite end a head member I4.I

The shaft I2 is annular in cross section and is )preferably made ofsteel. From a point A intermediate the handle I3 and the head I4 theshaft converges downward to its lower end and converges upward to apoint B adjacent the lower end of the handle I3. 'I'he walls of thelower portion of the shaft are thick at A and decrease in thicknessdownward to a point C below which is an untapered portion whichterminates at C' 5 below which the walls decrease in thickness towardsthe lower end of the shaft. As clearly shown in Fig. 4 the point C iswithin the club head to provide greater strength to the shaft where itenters the club head. The walls of the l upper portion of the shaft arethin at A and l from the point A upward the shaft walls increase inthickness to the point B. From the point B the shaft includes a portionI5 the outer wall of which is preferably truly cylindrical Theconstruction is such that the tubular shaft has a' sec- 10 tion whichprogressively increases in weight be-` tween the grip and the head andalso has a section which progressively decreases in weight between thegrip and the head. In general the walls of the shaft portion I5 arelthin at the point B l5 and increase in thickness to the upper end ofthe portion I5.

Adjacent the upper end of the portion I5 a plug member I 6 is positionedin the shaft and secured thereto by a pin I1. The plug I6 in- 20 cludesa reduced threaded'stem I8 which extends beyond the end of the shaft. l

Surrounding the portion I5 of the shaft I provide a metal sleeve whichis indicated generallyl at 20. The head portion 2l includes arrecess 2325 which opens through the upper end thereof and terminates in a bottomshoulder 24. Adjacent the shoulder 24 theinner`surface of the sleevecurves inward and downward as at 25 to merge into the shank portion 22.

The portion I5 of the shaft extends into the recess' 23 a .predetermineddistance and the curved portion 25 of the sleeve 20' engages the outersurface of the shaft portion I5. From the curved portion 25 "the innersurface of the shank 35 y 22 curves downwardly and outwardly as at 26 toa point D from which it converges downwardly to a point E. From thepoint-E the inner surface of'the shank converges at amore acute ange toa point F where it curves outwardly as at 21 to 40 a point G and thenextends downward a predetermined distance as at 28 and terminates in aninwardly flared portion 29. At the point F the inner surface of thesleeve engages the outer surfacel of the shaft portion I5. 45

The outer surface of the walls of the sleeve 20 approximately followsthe contour of the inner, surface. At the point E the wall of the sleeve20 is thin and increases in thickness to the curved portion 25. Fromthepoint E downward to the 50 point F the sleeve walls decrease inthickness.

Adjacent the point F of the sleeve the walls of the shaft portion I5preferably include a thickened section 29 to reinforce the walls .of theportion I5 where they are engaged by the sleeve 20. \55

e may be positioned therein as shown.

Positioned in the recess 23 of the sleeve 20 between the shoulder 21thereof and the upper end of the shaft portion I5, I provide a rubberco1- lar 32.

surrounding the threaded stem la I provide a metal washer 33 which isrml'y clamped in the end of the shaft portion I5 by a nut 33' positionedon the threaded stem I3.

'I'he washer 33 includes an inner depending key member 34 which ispositioned in a slot 35 provided in the shaft portion I5. The washer 33further includes adjacent its outer periphery a pair of depending fingermembers 33 whichV are positioned in suitable recesses 31 provided in thel rubber collar 32.

Within the sleeve .recess 2 3 I provide a pair of opposed finger members33 which are secured to the sleeve by welding or brazing them thereto.

These finger members 33 extend from the shoulder 24 upward apredetermined distance and inward a part of the distance between theshaft portion I5 and the sleeve walls. The sleeve fingers 38 arepositioned in suitable recesses 33 Provided in the rubber collar 32.'Ihe recesses are positioned between the recesses 31. For closing theend of the sleeve recess 23 I provide a cap member 40 which isinternally threaded as at 4I to engage an externally threaded portion 42provided on the sleeve 23 adjacent the upper end thereof.

Within the sleeve recess 23 surrounding the nut 33' I provide aplurality of thin metal washers 43 which rest on the washer 33.Also-positioned in the sleeve recess 23 I provide a coiled spring 44 oneend of which engages the upper one of the washers 43 and the oppositeendengages the cap member 43. Y

The tension of the spring 44 against the wash- I ers 43 and the washer33 exert a downward pressure on the shaft against the resiliency of therubber collar 32. Surrounding the sleeve 23 between the upper threadedportion 42 and the lower end thereof I provide a standard leatherwrapping 45 which may be cemented to the sleeve. When a standard golfclub is swung to hit a ball the whip of the club shaft occurs betweenthe club head and the handle portion but with my improved golf club IIIthe whip occurs within the handle portion I3. This is due to the factthat the shaft I2 is strengthened intermediate the club head I4 and thehandle portion by enlarging it at the point A and by having the handleportion engaging the shaft only at two spaced points 25 and F therebyleaving a great length of free shaft within the handle portion. When thegolf club III is swung to hit a ball the whip of the shaft I2 occurswithin the length of the reduced portion I5 thereof between the point Fof the sleeve where it engages the shaft portion I5 adjacent its lowerend and the curved portion 25 of the sieevewhere it engages the shaftportion I5 adjacent its upper end.

The torque exerted on the shaft of a golf club by the head when swingingthe club and when the head strikes a ball is normally transferred to thehandle portion and thence absorbed by the hands of the operator therebycausing additional strain on the operator but with my improved vgolfclub Ill this torque is partly absorbed.

When a torque strain is put on the shaft I2 it is transferred to thewasher 33 which thereupon tends to turn and turn the fingers 33 thereofwith it against the resilience of the rubber collar which is preventedfrom turning -by the sleeve fingers 33 thus the material of the collaris compressed between th e washer lingers 33 and the sleeve ngers 33.

By removing one or more of the washers 43 the pressure of the spring 44on the rubber collar 32 is lessened thereby lessening the density of thecollar material whereupon the washer ngers 33 can compress the collarmaterial with less eifort.

When additional washers 43 are added the pressure of the spring 44 onthe rubber collar 32 is increased thereby increasing the density of thecollar material whereupon the washer fingers 33 ,must exert a greatereifort to compress the collar material.

Although my shaft may be used with any desired type of striking head inFigs. 1 and 2 the club head I4 is shown as a putter provided with anovel striking face which is indicated generally at 46. As shown theupper edge 41 of the striking face 43 is in advance of the lower'edge.43. 'I'hat is, the upper edge 41 is spaced further from the center lineH of the shaft than is the lower edge 48. The portion of the strikingface 43 between the upper edge 41 and the lower edge 43 thereof may be astraight line but I prefer to make it concave as shown.-

The height lof the striking face 43fin relation to a golf ball indicatedat 49 is such that the point of contact I between the ball and thestriking face is above the center of the ball. Thus when the strikingface 43 contacts the ball it impels it' away therefrom with an over'rolling action in the direction of travel of the ball which holds theball onto lthe green in its forward travel.

In Fig. 2, I have shown the club head I4 as including a wood bodyportion 53 having a face DOrtion 5I thereon which is made of resilientmaterial such as rubber ori-nbre. The face portion 5I is cemented to thebody 53 and adjacent the upper' and lower sides of the head the body 53and the face.portion 5I are co-actingly dovetailed as at 52.

Within the body portion 53 of the club head I4 I provide a curved metaltube 53. The tube 53 is shown as positioned approximately intermediatethe height of the head with the ends of the tube adjacent the faceportion 5I (see Fig. 7). 'I'he ends of the tube are closed as by plugs54 which may be brazed or otherwise secured to the tube to form a.uidtight seal. Within the tube 53 and intermediate the height thereof Iprovide a iin 55 tube to the plug 'at the other end. In cross sectionthe fin 55 is preferably arcuate with one edge secured to the tube' bybrazing or otherwise securing it thereto to form a iluid tight seal asat 56 in Fig. 8. 'Ihe opposite edge of the iin 55 is yspaced apredetermined distance from the inner face of the tube walls asindicated at 51. The space between the iin 55 and the lower portion ofthe tube is partially filled with mercury as indicated at 53 in Fig. 8.y

In use when the club head moves forward the mercury moves into contactwith the trailing wall of the tube 53 until the ball is struck at whichtime the mercury will move forward relative to the club head. .If theouter edge of the head is leading in the swing the mercury when it movesforwardwill strike the inner plug 54 thus tending to correct theposition of the club head. If the inner face of the club head is leadingthe mercury will strike the outer plug 54. It* must be seen that themercury will protect the swing and cause the club head to strike a blowwith the face at right angles to the .swing of the club.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda novel golf club which is simple in construction and highly efficientin use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A golf club shaft comprising a hollow metal body and including a gripportion at one end and a head portion at the other'end, an intermediateportion comprising one part of increasing diameter with the small endsecured to the grip portion and a second part of decreasing diametercontinuous with the first part, the larger end of the first part beingconnected to the larger end of the second part, the wall thickness beingabruptly increased in the second part at the line of its juncture withthe irst part, said line of juncture being substantially midway betweenthe head and grip portions.

2. A golf club shaft having a hollow metal body including a grip portionat one end and a head portion at the other end, an intermediate portionsecured to said grip portion, said intermediate portion including twotapering parts, one' of said parts increasing in external diameter awayfrom the grip portion and having its wall thickness decreasing away fromthe grip portion and the other part having its external diameterdecreasing away from the grip portion and its wall thickness decreasingaway from said grip portion, said tapering Aparts being united at theirline of greatest diameter, there being an abrupt increase ln wallthickness Iin the second part at the line of its juncture with the firstpart.

3. 'I'he construction as set forth in claim 2, in which the grip portionis cylindrical.

4. The construction as set forth in claim 2 in which the line ofjuncture of the rst and second parts of the intermediate portion islocated substantially midway .between the head and grip portions.

5. A golf club shaft comprising a. hollow metal body and including agrip portion at one end and a head portion at the other end, anintermediate portion comprising one part of increasing diameter with thesmall end secured to the grip portion and a second part of decreasingdiameter continuous with the rst part, the larger end of the rst partbeing connected to the larger end of the second part, the wall thicknessbeing abruptly increased in one of said parts at the line of itsjuncture with the other part, said line of juncture being substantiallymidway between the head and grip portions.

GEORGE E. BARNHART.

